It’s hard to imagine any new booming town without a local newspaper to report its progress. However, that was exactly the situation in San Bernardino from its founding in 1851 until almost a decade later. During this time period, it was in the Los Angeles Star that local residents searched for snippets of news about what was happening in their area.

There were a couple of hokey, handwritten local bulletins of the day — The Scorpion and The Illustrated Hog Eye — but these were more like early versions of National Lampoon than serious journalistic endeavors. The respective editors of these San Bernardino “newspapers” went by “Tom, Dick, and Harry” and “Harry, Dick, and Tom.”

As it turned out, Henry Mugridge, Marcus Katz and Griff Williams were the real names of the men who owned both papers.

It was little wonder that San Bernardinians sought out the four-page weekly newspaper out of Los Angeles.

Originally called La Estrella de Los Angeles, it was printed half in Spanish and half in English from its first issue in 1851 until 1855. Much of what historians know of our county’s early history — from the Mormons’ purchase of the Rancho San Bernardino, followed by their recall back to Salt Lake City six years later, and concluding with the tumultuous Civil War era — comes from the Star’s reporting.

The newspaper’s initial account regarding the new Southern California colony’s plans came out shortly after the Mormons’ arrival at Sycamore Grove (a mile west of today’s Glen Helen Park in Devore) in June 1851.

“We learn that they (the Mormons) are negotiating for the purchase of the Rancho of San Bernardino from the family of Don Antonio Maria Lugo, by whom it is held. … This is the site of the old Mission of San Bernardino … Here probably this interesting people will make their first establishment on the shores of the Pacific.”

The Star was indeed correct in its assumption. The rancho purchase was finalized in September, the Utah pioneers settled into the valley, and the town of San Bernardino was born.

While the new community unfolded, The Star praised San Bernardino’s potential as an agricultural mecca. “(San Bernardino) bids fair to become celebrated as a fruit growing country.”

During the latter part of 1856, the Star took note of the burgeoning growth in San Bernardino’s businesses. One of its reporters noted at least eight thriving establishments, more than half of which were new and predominately Jewish-owned. These included a store owned by Charles Glaser, the firm of M.J. Newmark and S. Cohen, and merchants Marcus Katz and Louis Jacobs.

During September 1857, a terrible mass murder occurred at the popular rest stop in southwestern Utah called Mountain Meadows. A combination of Ute Indians and Mormons annihilated an entire company of about 140 travelers from Missouri and Arkansas. Only the 17 smallest children were spared. The Star published the initial notice of a “rumored massacre” on the trail.

After just six years, San Bernardino evolved into a thriving, industrious city. Then in December 1857, church President Brigham Young ordered all of the Mormon faithful to return to Salt Lake City as soon as possible. His reasons were various — with the “Mountain Meadows Massacre” being one of them — and The Star reported their “speedy departure for Salt Lake City.”

Horse stealing in the San Bernardino Valley was a real problem during the 1830s and ’40s, but it ceased during the Mormon era.

However, with many of its leaders (and peace makers) gone with the exodus to Utah, this dilemma started to spike again. Nearly every rancher suffered some loss, and The Star issued the following warning: “We have been informed that large numbers of men are coming to this section of the country ostensibly for the purpose of going to the newly discovered mines in the vicinity of Warner’s Ranch; and it is stated that there are no mines in that section of country, and many of these visitors are without apparent means of reaching that distant locality; it has been suggested to us to caution our rancheros to keep a strict watch on their horses and cattle.”

The Star for March 16, 1861, contained Lincoln’s first inaugural address, which had arrived by Pony Express. The next couple issues criticized the address as a “grand failure” and “not meaning much.” Lincoln’s Cabinet were chastised while Jefferson Davis was presented in a glowing light.

As the Civil War heated up, it was obvious that the Star was ardently pro-South. The violently partisan articles that appeared in its columns often provoked angry discussion. The outspoken criticism of the federal government by its editor led to the Star being banned in 1864. In fact, the editor was eventually arrested for treason. The publication resumed in 1868, became a daily two years later, but it closed operations for good in 1879 because of insufficient funds.

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